Agency Information Collection Activities: School Meals Operations Study: Evaluation of the School-Based Child Nutrition Programs, 28602-28605 [2020-10205]

Agencies

• DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Food and Nutrition Service

[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 93 (Wednesday, May 13, 2020)]
[Notices]
[Pages 28602-28605]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-10205]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Food and Nutrition Service


Agency Information Collection Activities: School Meals Operations 
Study: Evaluation of the School-Based Child Nutrition Programs

AGENCY: Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), USDA.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, this 
notice invites the general public and other public agencies to comment 
on this proposed information collection. This collection is a revision 
of a currently approved collection for the School Meals Operations 
(SMO) Study's continuation of the Child Nutrition Program Operations 
Study II (CN-OPS II, OMB control number 0584-0607) information 
collection with updated survey instruments beginning in school year 
(SY) 2020-2021. This study will collect supplemental administrative 
data, including data on the CN COVID-19 waivers.

DATES: Written comments must be received on or before July 13, 2020.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be sent to: Holly Figueroa, Food and Nutrition 
Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1320 Braddock Pl, 5th Floor, 
Alexandria, VA 22314. Comments may also be submitted via fax to the 
attention of Holly Figueroa at 703-305-2576 or via email to 
[email protected]. Comments will also be accepted through the 
Federal eRulemaking Portal. Go to https://www.regulations.gov, and 
follow the online instructions for submitting comments electronically.
    All responses to this notice will be summarized and included in the 
request for Office of Management and Budget approval. All comments will 
be a matter of public record.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Requests for additional information or 
copies of this information collection should be directed to Holly 
Figueroa at 703-305-2105.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Comments are invited on: (a) Whether the 
proposed collection of information is necessary for the proper 
performance of the functions of the agency, including whether the 
information shall have practical utility; (b) the accuracy of the 
agency's estimate of the burden of the proposed collection of 
information, including the validity of the methodology and assumptions 
that were used; (c) ways to enhance the quality, utility, and clarity 
of the information to be collected; and (d) ways to minimize the burden 
of the collection of information on those who are to respond, including 
use of appropriate automated, electronic, mechanical, or other 
technological collection techniques or other forms of information 
technology.
    Title: School Meals Operations Study: Evaluation of the School-
based Child Nutrition Programs.
    Form Number: N/A.
    OMB Number: 0584-0607.
    Expiration Date: 08/31/2022.
    Type of Request: Revision of a currently approved collection.
    Abstract: FNS administers the school-based Child Nutrition (CN) 
Programs (i.e., the school meal programs) in partnership with States 
and local school food authorities (SFAs). Section 28(a) of the Richard 
B. Russell National School Lunch Act authorizes the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture Secretary to conduct annual national performance 
assessments of the school meal programs. FNS plans to conduct this 
annual assessment through the School Meals Operations (SMO) Study for 
school year (SY) 2020-2021. The SMO Study will also collect timely data 
from State agencies on the use and effectiveness of the CN COVID-19 
waivers, as required by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (PL 
116-127).
    The SMO Study is a revision of the currently approved Child 
Nutrition Program Operations Study II (CN-OPS II). It will collect 
timely data on policy, administrative, and operational issues on the 
school-based CN Programs, including, but not limited to, the 
preparation of the program budget, development and implementation of 
program policy and regulations, and identification of areas for 
technical assistance and training. Specifically, this study will help 
FNS obtain:
    1. General descriptive data on the characteristics of school-based 
CN Programs to inform the budget process and answer questions about 
topics of current policy interest;
    2. Data on program operations to identify potential topics for 
training and technical assistance for SFAs and State Agencies (SAs) 
responsible for administering the CN programs;
    3. Administrative data to identify program trends and predictors;
    4. Information on the use and effectiveness of the CN COVID-19 
waivers.
    The activities to be conducted subject to this notice include:
     Collecting administrative data from 69 State Agency 
Directors that are reported on forms FNS-10, Report of School Program 
Operations, FNS-418, Report of the Summer Food Service Program for 
Children, and FNS-44, Report of the Child and Adult Care Food Program 
(which are approved under OMB# 0584-0594 Food Programs Reporting System 
(FPRS), which is currently under review at OMB).
     Conducting a web survey of 69 State Agency Directors.
     Conducting a web survey of 1,266 SFA Directors.
    Note: Personally identifiable information (PII) will not be used to 
retrieve survey records or data.
    Affected Public: State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Respondent 
groups identified include: (1) SFA Directors for public schools, and 
(2) State Agency Directors from all 50 States, 5 territories and the 
District of Columbia.
    Estimated Number of Respondents: The total estimated number of 
respondents is 1,341. This includes (1) 69 State Agency Directors who 
are expected to participate in the administrative data collection and 
the State Agency Director survey (3 of the 69 State Agency Directors 
are also expected to participate in the pretest), and (2) 1,272 SFA 
Directors. Six SFA Directors are expected to participate in the pre-
test of the SFA Director web survey; these pretest participants are 
unique respondents and will not be included in the sample for the SFA 
survey. An additional 1,266 public SFA Directors will be included in 
the sample for the SFA Director web survey, of which 1,012 are expected 
to respond. The total number of respondents also includes 254 non-
respondents whom FNS expects will not respond to the study activities.
    Estimated Number of Responses per Respondent: State Agency Director 
respondents will be asked to complete an initial telephone meeting and 
respond to an administrative data request one time. SFA Director and 
State Agency Director respondents will be asked to complete their 
respective web surveys one time. In the event of non-response, State 
Agency Directors may receive a reminder email, phone call, and a last 
chance postcard until the target of 69 respondents is reached. 
Similarly, SFA Directors who do not respond may receive reminders via 
email, phone, or post card until the target number of 1,012 respondents 
is reached. FNS estimates that respondents will average 5.47 responses 
(5,946 responses/1,087 respondents) across the

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entire collection, with non-respondents averaging 10.5 responses (2,676 
responses/254 non-respondents). Across all participants in the 
collection (respondents and non-respondents) the average number of 
responses is 6.4 (8,622 responses/1,341 total respondents).
    Estimated Total Annual Responses: 8,622.
    Estimated Time per Response: The estimated time per response ranges 
from 3 minutes (0.05 hours) to 20 hours depending on the instrument, as 
shown in the table below, with an average estimated time for all 
participants of 17 minutes (0.28 hours) per response.
    Estimated Total Annual Burden on Respondents: 146,635 minutes 
(2,443.92 hours). See the table below (Table 1) for estimated total 
annual burden for each type of respondent.

Pamilyn Miller,
Administrator, Food and Nutrition Service.

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[FR Doc. 2020-10205 Filed 5-12-20; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 3410-30-P